Sutton-based Scott Overall is Britain’s top marathon runner and this weekend he will be looking to confirm his Team GB Rio 2016 Olympic Games place.

After already securing the Olympic qualifying time at last year’s Berlin marathon, Overall, who runs with Blackheath & Bromley AC, needs to be in the top two British finishers to fulfil the selection criteria for Rio.

At London 2012, he finished 61st, nearly 12 minutes slower than his two hours 10 minutes 55 seconds personal best.

With that in mind, Overall has been training hard in south London as he looks to make it a second Olympics running.

“I moved to Sutton because the rent was too high in Teddington,” joked Overall, who was born in Hammersmith and went to Orleans Park School in Twickenham.

“My girlfriend and I have got a nice place in Sutton, it’s a good location and works well for us commuting into London for work, but I still go over to the Teddington, Twickenham area to train three or four times a week.”

Overall, who runs around 120 miles each week, added: “I’ve got a little group of us who go running before work at 6am - the ‘6am Club’.

“Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday we all go running in the morning and a couple of them are also running London this weekend.

“At that time of the morning it’s always easier to meet people to go out for a run who actually make the effort to go out and not put it off.

“My runs include Beddington Park, Virginia Water, Bushy Park and Nonsuch Park and the other days I am over in the Teddington/Richmond area – we actually saw the boxer Ricky Boylan in Nonsuch Park training the other day.

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Welterweight Boylan is set for his second London marathon after finishing his first one in just over three-and-a-half hours, and Overall has already invited the Carshalton-born boxer to join his exclusive early morning club.

“Ricky’s been asking me on Twitter what sort of pace we’re running but I think it’s a little bit too quick for him,” said the 33-year-old Overall.

“Maybe after London if he wants to do some running I run a bit slower [with him].

“For Ricky, and everybody running, I would definitely suggest starting off easy, building into it; you don’t want to go off too quick especially with London, the first half and the first three to four miles.

“You’ve got a nice downhill there, and it always gives you a false sense of security that you’re running quickly and not having to put too much effort in, but wait until you get over Tower Bridge and around Docklands and if you’re still feeling good then start to push on.”

As around 38,000 people prepare to face 26.2 miles, Overall is quick to stress the importance of running in a home race.

“It makes a difference to your support as more people come out,” said the Chelsea fan.

“In London there’s a lot more focus on the British guys and being from London that increases the interest more so it’s great having the crowds out there and hopefully I can run well on Sunday.”